Senate Wants Rationale for Ross Decision

The Faculty Senate has overwhelmingly endorsed a resolution calling on the system’s Board of Governors to explain why it’s forcing President Tom Ross to step down. The resolution, approved last month by the Faculty Assembly — an elected body representing faculty at the system’s 17 institutions — calls the decision “precipitous.”

The resolution asks members of the BOG “to articulate the rationale for their stated need for a ‘transition in leadership,’ a transition that implies a change in direction that has neither been discussed nor vetted with campus leadership, faculty, or the people of North Carolina.”

NC State’s Faculty Senate endorsed the resolution by a vote of 17 to 1 with one abstention.

Here’s the full text of the Faculty Assembly resolution:

Resolution Regarding the Transition in Leadership and Direction of the UNC System
Approved by the UNC Faculty Assembly on January 24, 2015

Whereas:

Chairman John Fennebresque of the UNC System Board of Governors (BOG) in his press conference on 16th of January, 2015 suggested the need for a “transition in leadership” of the UNC system to move the University in new directions; and

Whereas:

The stated need for transition required the precipitous decision to replace Tom Ross as President of the University of North Carolina System; and

Whereas:

The UNC Faculty Assembly has observed President Tom Ross to exhibit exemplary, visionary and inclusive leadership of the UNC System; and,

Whereas:

President Tom Ross continues to lead the UNC System in the best interests of the University and all the people of the State of North Carolina, in a manner that:

• Ensures access to the University system to all qualified students; and
• Provides higher education to North Carolina’s citizens, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, in a manner that is “as free as practicable,” by developing and protecting financial aid and tuition structures; and
• Attracts and retains the best faculty and staff for all UNC campuses; and
• Builds a strong leadership team at the UNC General Administration that works effectively with the BOG to develop and support the capacity of individual campuses to fulfill their missions in the context of the system; and
• Effectively manages the system’s complex budget during a period of drastically decreasing budgets; and
• Strengthens campus leadership by selecting Chancellors committed to academic excellence and the respective missions of the system’s diverse campuses; and
• Promotes a comprehensive liberal arts based education that prepares students for careers and lifelong learning; and

Whereas:

The UNC Faculty Assembly is deeply concerned that the precipitous decision to replace an acknowledged highly effective system leader will diminish the opportunities to attract and retain strong, effective and visionary leaders at all levels of the University system;

Therefore Be It Resolved:

That the Faculty Assembly of the University of North Carolina expresses its most sincere thanks and highest respect for the exemplary work and leadership of President Tom Ross; and,

Be It Further Resolved:

That the UNC Faculty Assembly strongly endorses the manner in which President Tom Ross continues to lead the University of North Carolina System; and

Be It Further Resolved:

That the UNC Faculty Assembly calls upon the Board of Governors to articulate the rationale for their stated need for a “transition in leadership,” a transition that implies a change in direction that has neither been discussed nor vetted with campus leadership, faculty, or the people of North Carolina.